Bhubaneswar: The Orissa Government has cleared another 12-million-tonne-per-annum greenfield steel project in the State. So, along with Posco and Mittal, Navayug Steels Limited has joined the race to produce steel in the State.

The State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) on Monday cleared the proposed investment of Rs 55,650-crore in six projects. Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy chaired the meeting, in which the clearance was accorded for the project to be set up at Astarang in Puri district with an investment of Rs 34,000 crore.

However, linkage for iron ore has not been covered in the proposed mega project. The Navayug Group has proposed to set up a port at Astarang with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore. Similarly, the infrastructure giant is also setting up a 2,640-MW mega thermal power plant with an investment of Rs 11,200 crore at Astarang.

Bhusan Steels Limited (BSL), which is setting up a 3.10-MTPA steel mill at Meramundali in Dhenkanal district, was allowed by the SLSWCA to expand its capacity to produce 9-MTPA with an additional investment of Rs 20,804 crore. Similarly, Reliable Sponge's proposal to set up a 0.25-MTPA steel plant along with a 24-MW captive power plant having a total investment of Rs 227.13 crore was cleared by the Authority.

Emami Paper Mills Limited's (EPML) proposal for a 1.32-lakh-TPA newsprint unit along with a co-generation power plant with an investment of Rs 500 crore was cleared. EPML has established a paper mill at Balasore in 1982 and the new plant will come up in the same area.

Purvi Bharat Paper & Power (PBPP) has proposed for a 33,000-TPA writing and printing paper mill at Choudwar in Cuttack district with an investment of Rs 90.50 crore. The proposal to set up 5-MW solar park near Bhubaneswar with an investment of Rs 125 crore by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) also received clearance of the Authority.